An eminent mathematician sent us this plaintive note. This person requests anonymity, for reasons that should be obvious.
I have to write a referee’s report on a paper. I am not submitting the following but it conveys my true feelings:
The authors present a straightforward proof of an obvious result based on a question that no one has asked motivated by their misunderstanding of the actual question by [FAMOUS GODLIKE MATHEMATICIAN’S NAME REDACTED]. The simplicity of the proof, however, is more than compensated by the authors’ lack of clarity, and their overall carelessness.